Cross-leg vertically adjustable table



April 9, 1957 M. A. DAVIS CROSS-LEG VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE TABLE OriginalFiled April 27. 1953 CROSS-LEG VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE TABLE Mansell A.Davis, Long Beach, Calif.

Substituted for abandoned application SerialNo. 351,231, April 27, 1953.This application May 24, 1954, Serial No.\431,625

1 Claim. (Cl. 311-95) My invention relates to the field of supportingdevices, more `particularly to a cross-leg vertically adjustable tableand is a substitute of application Serial No. 351,231, filed April 27,1953, and which became abandoned April 8, 1954.

A major object of my invention is to supply a table particularly adaptedfor small homes and apartment house living, whereby when my table is inits lowermost position, it may serve as a decorative and useful coiieetable, yet when adjusted to an elevated position, may be used fordining, games, sewing or like purposes.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will becomeapparent from the following description of a preferred form thereof, andfrom the drawing illustrating that form in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my vertically adjustable table when inan elevated position;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of my invention in an elevatedposition;

Figure 3 is' aside view of the device in a folded position; t' i Figure4 is a partial plan view of the table top looking upwardly at the bottomthereof; v

Figure 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the upper portion o f thetable taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 2;

`Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the cross pieces used in Amyinvention with sections `cut away to illustrate the internal structurethereof; and

Figure 7 is another perspective view of one of the cross pieces shown inFigure 6.

Referring now to the drawings for .the general arrangement of myinvention, it will be seen that it includes a substantially rectangulartop T that is supported at the desired elevation by two angularlydisposed members S and S pivotally connected to one another atsubstantially the mid-points thereof.

Top T is preferably fabricated from a rectangularly shaped sheet 10 of acommercially available rigid material having two end pieces 11 and 11',and side pieces 12 and 12 aihxed to the edge portions of the downwardlydisposed face, as may best be seen in Figure 4. A reinforcing strip 13is preferably transversely disposed under the table top 10 to extendbetween the side pieces 12 and 12.

rl`wo pairs of oppositely disposed blocks 14, 14' and 15, 15 are aliixedto the outwardly located interior faces of the side pieces 12 and 12(Figure 3). Each of these blocks is provided with longitudinallyextending grooves 14a, 14b, 15a and 15b, and said grooves each has aplurality of longitudinally spaced recesses 16 extending inwardly intothe blocks in which said recesses or slots are formed. The recesses 16serve as stops, as will hereinafter be explained in detail.

Two cross pieces C and C identical in construction are provided, and forthis reason but one cross piece C will be described herein, with theelements of cross piece C identified in the drawings by numberscorresponding to those used on like elements of cross piece C, but towhich a prime is added. In Figures 6 and 7 it will be seen that UnitedStates Patent() Patented Apr. 9, 1957 ICC the cross piece C -is formedfrom an elongate member of channel-shaped cross section having twoparallel legs 20 and 21 connected by a web 22. Two elongate pins 23 and24 are longitudinally disposed Within the contines of the cross piece C,with the outer extremities of the pins projecting from the endsthereof.. Normally disposed handles 23a and 24a are bent or otherwiseformed from the inwardly disposed ends Vof pins 23 and 24 respectively,which handles project through longitudinally disposed slots 22a and 22hformed in web 22. Pins 23 and 24 are slidably supported for longitudinalmovement in cross piece C by guides 26 as may best be seen in Figure 6.p

Helical tension springs 23h and 24b are afxed at one end to pins 23 and24, and at their opposite ends to the interior surface of leg 20 (Figure6). The springs 2311 and 2411 at all times tend to urge pins 23 and 24outwardly for reasons that will hereinafter be explained.

When mounted on cross piece C, the outer end portions of pins 23 and 24are slidable in grooves 14a, 15a, as best seen in Figures 3 and 4, whilepins 23 and 24' are slidable in grooves 1417 and 15b. it will be readilyapparent from the preceding description and an inspection of Figures 5to 7 that pins 23, 24 and 23 and 24 are freely slidable in the groovesonly when the handles 23a, 24a and 23a', 24a are moved inwardly towardone another. The end portions of an elongate strip 26a longitudinallydisposed on web 22 extend into slots 22a and 22b. The length of strip26a determines the distance the handles 23a, 24a may move inwardlytoward one another, and by the use of this strip 26a, the maximum inwarddistance the handles 23a, 24a may travel is variable. Strip 26a may beaffixed by screws or other conventional fastening means to web 22. lf itis not desired to have the distances which the handles 23a, 24a may moveinwardly toward one another variable, strip 26a may be dispensed withand the inwardly disposed ends of slots 22a and 22b will determine themaximum inward movement of the handles.

The structure of the table top-supporting members S and S may best beseen in Figures l and 3. The first supporting member S is formed fromtwo elongate tubes or rods 31 and 32, the centrally disposed portions31a and32a of which are disposed adjacent and parallel to one another.Centrally disposed portions 31a and 32a may be banded, welded, orotherwise affixed to one another. Those parts above the central portionsof rods 31 and 32 are bent or otherwise formed to provide two laterallyseparated, angularly disposed arms 31h and 32b. The parts of rods 31 and32 below the central portions 31a and 32a are formed to provide twolaterally separated, angularly disposed legs 31C and 32C. Legs 31C and32o cooperate to define an inverted U-shaped leg support. The lowerextremities of legs 31C and 32e are provided with suitablesmooth-surfaced members 31d and 32d which will not damage the carpet orother surface on which the table is supported.

Table top-supporting member S' is identical to the previously describedmember S, with the exception that the centrally disposed portions 31aand 32a are laterally separated from one another. Leg portions 31a and32a are connected by two longitudinally spaced, transversely disposedcross members 36 and 37 that define a substantially rectangular opening38 therebetween. The centrally disposed leg portions 31a and 32a ofmember S extend through the opening 38 as may best be seen in Figure l.A transversely disposed shaft. 39 extends between leg portions 3la and32a, serving to pivotally support member S. Centrally disposed portions31a and 32a are formed with oppositely disposed openings itl throughwhich the shaft 39 passes.

In Figures 3 and 4 it will be seen that the extremities of arms 31b and32b are rigidly connected to cross piece C by screws 41 or otherconventional fastening means. Arms 31b and 32h are likewise rigidlyafixed to cross piece C.

The operation of my invention is extremely simple. When it is desiredtochange the elevation of table top T, the handles 23a, 24a and 23a', 24aare grasped and moved inwardly toward one another the maximum distancepossible, whereby pins 23, 24 and 23', 24 retracted and may slidelongitudinally in slots 14a, 15a and 14h, 15b respectively. Movement ofpins 23, 24 and 23', 24 in the slots associated therewith permits thesupports S and S to pivot relative to one another. Such pivotal movementraises or lowers the elevation of the top T as desired, and when the topis disposed at the desired elevation, the manual pressure on handles23a, 24a, and 23a', 24a' may be released, causing springs 23h, 24h and23b, 24b' respectively to force the outer ends of the pins into certainof the recesses 16 which act as stops to prevent further pivoting ofsupports S and S'.

From the above description it will be apparent that the top T may behorizontally disposed in a number of vertical elevations by pressingeither pair of handles 23a, 24a or 23a', 24a together to permit movementof the pins associated therewith relative to the table top T. Eitherpair of handles 23a, 24a or 23a', 24a may be used separately to adjustthe elevation of the table top. Each pair of handles when actuatedpermits the vertical adjustment of the top T through a predeterminedmaximum range.l lf it is desired to vertically adjust the table topthrough a distance greater than the range controlled by one set of saidhandles, both sets must be actuated to accomplish this result. When thetable is not in use, pins 23, 24 and 23', 24 may be positioned so as tonot engage stops 16 whereby the top-supporting members S and S may becollapsed to assume substantially parallel positions relative to the topT. With the supports in this collapsed position, the table as a wholerequires a minimum of storage space, which is highly desirable from thehouseholders standpoint, as well as in the merchandising and marketingthereof.

Although the vertically adjustable table herein shown and described isfully capable of achieving the objects and providing the advantageshereinbefore mentioned, it is to be understood that it is merelyillustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of my invention, andthat I do not mean to be limited to the structural details herein shownand described other than as defined in the appended claim.

Iclaim:

A vertically adjustable table which includes: a sub- 4 t stantiallyrectangular` table top that is formed with two pairs of oppositelydisposed grooves on the side end portions thereof, and each of said pairof grooves formed with a plurality of longitudinally spaced oppositelydisposed recesses; a first cross piece and a second cross piece, witheach of said cross pieces slidably supporting transversely disposed pinsthat project outwardly from the ends thereof into said grooves; springmeans that at all times urge said pins outwardly to en-gage oppositelydisposed sets of said recesses when said cross pieces are movedlongitudinally relative to said top to be brought in alignmenttherewith; manually operated means mounted on said cross pieces vtoretract said pins suciently that said recesses are not engaged; a firsttable top supporting member that has an elongated centrally disposedportion from which two arms extend upwardly in a U-shape and have theirouter ends rigidly afiixed to said first cross piece, said portionhaving two legs that extend downwardly therefrom to define an invertedU; a second table top supporting member that has an elongated centrallydisposed portion in which an opening is formed through which thecentrally disposed portions of said first table top supporting memberextends, said second supporting member formed with two laterally spacedarms that extend upwardly in a U shape from said central portion thereofto have their outer ends rigidly affixed to said second cross piece, andtwo laterally separated legs that extend downwardly from said centralportion of said second member to define an inverted U; and atransversely disposed pin that extends across said opening to pivotallysupport the central portion of said first member whereby said arms andlegs may be moved relative to one another to maintain said table top atone of a plurality of vertical elevations, each of whichelevations isdependent upon the particular sets of said recesses engaged by saidpins.

References Cited in the file of this patentv i UNITED STATES PATENTS631,556 Burshnell Aug. 23, 1899 1,165,382 Y Anderson Dec. 28, 19151,576,034 Butt Mar;r9, 1926 1,895,290 Lobel Ianf24, 1933 1,994,364 KingMar. 12, 1935 2,060,367 Flagstad Nov. 10, 1936 2,581,023 Ierick Ian. 1,1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 445,780 Great Britain v Apr. 17,1936

